24th Annual TCC | Online Conference | April 16-18, 2019

Sustainable Learning, Accessible Technologies, & Diverse Contexts

20-Minute Session

New Degrees of Opportunity at Open College: Addressing the Needs of Today’s Learners

Session Description
Today’s learners need flexible, cost-efficient ways to increase knowledge, enhance skills, or complete a college degree. The rising cost of college tuition coupled with the demands of work/life balance challenge many individuals seeking advanced education. As such, higher education administrators need to identify new approaches to learning and higher education that address these barriers. This presentation addresses the following question: “How do institutions of higher education address the needs of flexible, cost-efficient education for today’s adult learners?” Topics include: An overview of Open College at Purdue University Global, open degree programs, and PLA (Prior Learning Assessment) course efforts.
Presenter(s)
Carolyn Stevenson
Carolyn Stevenson, School of General Education, Purdue University Global, Chicago, USA
Elizabeth Daniels
Elizabeth Daniels, School of General Education, Purdue University Global, Michigan, USA
Kerrie Houchens
Kerrie Houchens, School of General Education, Purdue University Global, Florida, USA
Session Type
20-Minute Session
Audience
All Audiences

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Creating a sense of community outside the classroom for online college students

Session Description
Online college students often struggle with issues related to isolation based on the inherent nature of online courses. There is extensive research on strategies to help create engagement within the online classroom to help students feel more connected. However, there is limited research on what can be done by faculty, in addition to the academic activity in the online classroom, to help their students feel connected and enhance the learning experience. Research indicates that education outside the online classroom and creating engagement opportunities beyond the classroom are essential to ensure growth for online students throughout their college career (Chapman, 2016).
The goal of this presentation will be to discuss and elicit participant interaction based on the following questions:

  1. What is the importance of creating a sense of community for online students outside of the classroom?
  2. What methods can be used to create this sense of community?
  3. What social media outlets are best suited for engaging online students outside of the classroom and what are the implications?

As part of this discussion, the authors will share some specific options for connection opportunities that faculty could incorporate, such as Facebook groups and an accountability partner program. In addition to faculty-initiated programs, they will discuss other strategies which could be part of a University-wide program including group study sessions, alumni mentoring programs, and internal avenues for networking and group discussions. As Full-Time Faculty at one of the largest distance education universities in the United States, the authors have researched this topic as part of an action research project connected to implementing opportunities for students to connect and engage outside of the online classroom.

Presenter(s)
Tracy Crawford
Tracy Crawford, University of Phoenix, Carlsbad, CA, USA
Tracy Crawford earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business at Illinois Wesleyan University in 1996. She also has a Master’s degree in Education – Curriculum & Instruction/Adult Education Distance Learning and completed a Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Education Program, where she earned her Elementary teaching certificate and English as a Second Language endorsement. Tracy taught at the Elementary level for several years before transitioning into higher education and has now been in the field of Higher Education for 15 years. Currently, Tracy is a full-time faculty member at University of Phoenix in the College of General Studies teaching a foundational skills for college success course and critical thinking for Associates and Bachelors students. Tracy also facilitates faculty trainings for the University of Phoenix.
Jennifer Romano
Jennifer Romano, University of Phoenix, Daphne, AL, USA
Jennifer Romano is a graduate of Auburn University, receiving her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Mass Communication. Upon graduating she became an adjunct professor at The University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama, followed by a full time instructor at Faulkner State Community College (now Coastal Community College) in Gulf Shores, Alabama. She taught communication and public speaking courses at both colleges. Then in 2007 Jennifer became a full time faculty member at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, followed by Herzing University in Birmingham, Alabama; she was an instructor of mass communication, public speaking and humanities course. In 2013 Jennifer became a full time faculty member at University of Phoenix, where she is currently working as a full time instructor of General Studies and Humanities (critical thinking) courses. She has over 15 years of experience with online instruction and LOVES being an instructor at University of Phoenix!
Lauren Critchley
Lauren Critchley, University of Phoenix, Bonaire, GA, USA
Lauren Critchley earned her Bachelor of Arts in English at Brigham Young University in 1994 and her Master of Arts in English at University of North Florida (UNF) in 1997. While completing graduate school at UNF, Lauren taught developmental reading and writing at Florida Gateway College in Lake City, Florida. After graduating from UNF, Lauren accepted a full-time faculty position at the University of West Georgia. Lauren has since taught writing, speech, reading, and literature courses at Richland Community College in Illinois, Roane State Community College in Tennessee, and Brigham Young University in Idaho. In 2013, Lauren accepted a full-time teaching position with University of Phoenix where she currently teaches introductory writing courses along with college skills and critical thinking courses. Lauren has over 20 years of experience teaching in higher education with 8 of those years in online education.
Session Type
20-Minute Session
Audience
All Audiences

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Discovering the Zen Leader Within

Session Description
This presentation sets the goals for us to discover the leader in us through the simple and practical principles taught in Zen Buddhism. The Zen leader follows the principles below. Through conversation and exercises we will discover these principles, how they affect our lives, and how we can practice them mindfully each and every day to help us become the leader we desire to be.

The participants will discover how the Six Paramitas enhance their development as great leaders: Generosity, morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom.

Presenter(s)
Kathleen Shokai Bishop
Kathleen Shokai Bishop, Purdue University Global, online program, USA
I graduated many years ago with a degree in English Literature and since there were not many jobs in that field I went to work in the local hospital and went back to school to earn a Masters Degree in Health Administration. After years working in various areas of health administration I got hired by Purdue/Kaplan to teach medical transcription. Thus for the past 14 years I’ve been teaching in this area. Two years ago I wrote the curriculum for Palm Beach State College for three courses in medical transcription/scribe certifications. I am currently teaching that at PBSC.
Session Type
20-Minute Session
Audience
All Audiences

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Critical Digital Pedagogy and Instructional Approaches in Online Relationship Education

Session Description
In recent years, rates of intercultural and interracial marriages have increased more than fivefold from 3% in 1967 to 17% in 2015. This session explores instructional design considerations for providing relationship education online to intercultural and interracial couples. Principles in digital critical pedagogy are introduced and discussions raised for how to develop culturally responsive and inclusive learning experiences in online contexts.

Critical digital pedagogy is a developing field influenced by the work of bell hooks and others in critical and engaged pedagogy, and which explores these topics in the context of digital learning environments. Critical digital pedagogy is concerned with open learning developed in community and collaboration; the inclusion and participation of diverse, international voices; the truths and perspectives that emerge from a diversity of voices; and the applicability of this information beyond the walls of traditional higher education (Stommel, 2014). Relationship education focuses on increasing knowledge and building skills such as communication and conflict resolution that are important for individuals, couples, and families to establish and maintain healthy relationships. While more culturally appropriate education materials are now available in the field of relationship education, there are few resources focused on the unique experiences and needs of intercultural and interracial couples.

Presenter(s)
Kristina Ordanza
Kristina Ordanza, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, California, USA

  • Graduate student in Instructional Design & Technology at California State University, Fullerton
  • 10 years of experience working in higher education
  • Currently works with the California Conservation Corps as a Career Pathways & Transition Navigator
  • Research interests: role of relationships in learning, diversity & inclusion in adult learning environments
Session Type
20-Minute Session
Audience
All Audiences

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Content-Based Learning through Students Multiple Disciplines

Session Description
In Korean college ESL classes, students attend with multiple purposes toward the target language. The students gather from multiple disciplines from engineering to fashion design and the English fluency level also varies among the students. At first, the movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs was utilized in order to span out the interests of the varied students. An interesting fact was observed from the students’ response to the movie. Each class had a session to provide feedback about the movie, and students response were different based on their major. Various responses led up naturally active participation and students immersed in the movie. A language is a tool (Essays, 2013), and it is important to use it rather than learning the structure of the target language. The differences in the feedback sparked the interest in the movie and help the students to focus on the content of the language (Kasper, 1997).
The purpose of the class is to teach language, however without the focus on content, it is easy to see students going to the rabbit hole once again; memorizing vocabulary, expressions, grammar, etc. The focus on content, but content coming from the students’ perspectives gives multiple interests to the students. This approach helps the diverse and broad class to focus on the class. In this presentation, the process of language learning through movie clips on YouTube will be shown along with what type of contributions students brought to the content-based instruction style of language learning. In addition, not only useful strategies to identify and maintain students’ interest but also multiple tools and resources to help students focus on the content will be introduced.
Presenter(s)
Ji-Young Seo
Ji-Young Seo, Kookmin University, Seoul, Korea

  • Assistant professor, Kookmin univ., S. Korea
  • Director of Global English(TOEIC), Kookmin univ.
  • International Affairs Officer, STEM (The Society for Teaching English through Media)
Session Type
20-Minute Session
Audience
All Audiences

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